


Eventually

by OnTheWings (Kwehlous)



Series: Eventually [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ace!Luna, Age Difference, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Asexual Character, Bisexuality, Character Study, Cunnilingus, F/M, Intercrural Sex, Long-Distance Friendship, Long-Distance Relationship, Slice of Life, Unrequited Love, Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-06 04:30:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11592969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kwehlous/pseuds/OnTheWings
Summary: Aranea's already resigned herself to being alone for the rest of her life after too many failed tries. Go figure, the one time she doesn't try, she hits gold.





	1. Actuality

It started with a wedding.

 

Aranea wouldn't have even been there were it not for Luna's invitation. Yeah, definitely not. While she knew of Prompto, she knew next to nothing about Noctis, besides Luna telling her about how badly Prompto wanted to marry him one day.

 

Apparently they'd been planning their marriage since 16. They were now 22, eating their dinner and cake under the adoring eyes of their small families and group of friends, and colleagues.

 

And near complete strangers like her.

 

"They're so precious," Luna sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a napkin. She'd been the best woman for Noctis, while another girl, Iris, has been Prompto's best woman. A more queer wedding this couldn't have been. Well, if there had been rainbow colored cake, then, yeah, probably. Aranea scoffed into her drink, imagining rainbow dyed sweets smeared on the two grooms' faces.

 

"Now's the moment when everyone realizes how they'll never have a romance like theirs." Another friend, Aranae couldn't remember their name, chimed. The table laughed, save for her, because... why not? Was it because they were young? Or was it because they were so lovey dovey? She didn't understand the comment, but didn't challenge it, just dwelled on it to figure it out. She suppose it was just self deprecation meant to be satirical and hope-inspiring that, perhaps, against all odds, everyone at the table would find a love like Noctis' and Prompto's one day.

 

Aranea felt that was all well and good... for everyone else. Everyone else at the table, the friends of the grooms and their plus ones were all between the ages of 17 and 26. She could see them, in another few years or so, finding someone somewhere, who complimented them just right. Some of them already had significant others, in fact.

 

Then they would have their wedding, and their cake, with everyone swooning, and clinking their glasses, and wishing them good luck and hoping to have the same one day. Her? She was 32. According to society, she was beyond her prime. Beyond desire. Beyond what anyone wanted, man or woman. It was too late for her, and probably had been for a long time.

 

She had made her bed with that when she was 24 and still a virgin. Love just wasn't going to happen to her at this point, and if it did, it would be the resigned sort. The sort of relationship brought forth only through a sense of practicality and to end the loneliness. Nothing like what she was seeing. No sensuality. No spark. Only necessity.

 

"Aranea?" Luna nudged her with her knee. She shook her head and smiled. No need to worry her with her... whatever this was. She wasn't even sure why this stupid sense of melancholy was disrupting her good time. Her lot in life had never bothered her before. It never kept her from being comfortable and happy with herself.

 

Aranea nudged Luna back, and the girl was appeased enough to go back to chattering with everyone else at the table. Aranea excused herself, getting another drink.

 

There were a few more pictures that Noctis and Prompto, moreso Prompto, wanted to take, and after more shots of the groomsmen in silly, then professional, then silly pictures again, the festivities, for the most part, were over. Aranea had taken one for herself of all the groomsmen, but then was dragged into a photo herself. She didn't really belong there--- she was just a plus one. But, they'd made her feel welcome despite it.

 

She appreciated it more than she realized.

 

Back at Prompto's appartment, Luna made a partially executive decision to clean up so that the newly married couple had a clean place to be. Everyone soundly ignored her, as they were, and Aranea quoted later with a giggle, 'not going to fucking clean behind a grown-ass adult'. She hardly saw Prompto or Noctis' as 'adults', but with a ten year gap between them, perhaps she'd never see those two as men.

 

Aranea cleaned a corner of the apartment and plopped down on a pillow—enough to settle herself down among the groomsmen's chaos. She had a bit of work she needed to finish.  By the time she rose her head again, having nodded off, half of the pose' has left, leaving only Luna and a few others. One of the groomsmen, Ig-something, she couldn't remember, had his head close to her thigh while they watched a not-anime that she was familiar with. Not familiar enough with that she wanted to stay up.

 

"Hey, Aranea."

 

A toe nudged her, and she jerked away, groaning.

 

"We're ordering food. What do you want?"

 

Another groomsman... Glad-something? He was treating the remainder of them to dinner. How late was it? 2000hrs, but it felt later than that. Ugh, she really was getting old.

 

"Aghn... where are you going?" Aranae murmured, rubbing her head. She needed a shower.

 

"We dunno yet, but we're figuring that out now." Luna chimed, snuggled up to someone. Names were hard for some reason. GenyTina? Gentiyani? Hnm, they sure looked cute together. Aranea rolled her eyes. Yeah, they'll get together, and moogles would fly out of her vagina.

 

"I want pizza," chimed another... ugh, Aranea gave up on names.

 

"Can't eat pizza."

 

"Some Wutanese then?"

 

"Ugh, too many choices."

 

"Hey," Aranea offered, already annoyed at the indecisiveness in the room. "Just go to where we went to yesterday. It's a noodle joint, yeah. Pretty good, and caters to allergies."

 

"It doesn't deliver, however."

 

"Then I can just go and get it, Iggy."

 

"If that's what you want to do, Gladio."

 

Okay, Gladio and Iggy, which, had to be short for something, Aranea was sure. She yawned through the rest of the bickering, and finally, Gladio left the apartment with a text screen full of orders for the noodle place. An hour later, Aranea was wide awake surrounded by a bunch of full, sleepy younglings in a snuggle pile she would have never imagined herself in... ever. She didn't think too much about it because she probably would have gone into a sappy head space she wasn't used to being in.

 

Instead, distracting her, Aranea noted an elephant in the room that had happened about three times now. "Okay, guys, this is nice and all, but the next time one of you has to fart, please tell me ahead of time. Just to give me warning. I don't care, everyone does it, but I just need a fucking warning."

 

Apparently what she'd said was a riot, because everyone immediately devolved into laughter. Gladio pressed his face into 'Iggy's' thigh, and 'Iggy' choked out through wheezing breath, covering his mouth to hide his smile. "I'm sorry! The dish isn't agreeing with me!"

 

Gladio only laughed harder, as if this was uncharacteristic of his friend, or... maybe it was in character, but was only in private moments that he was privy to. Really, Aranea had pinned them as being together since seeing them at the wedding. To learn they weren't was both a shock, and raised disbelief that status wouldn't last long. They were... too good not to get together. Aranea snorted with the group laughter, standing up to go to the bathroom for that shower.

 

"Wait, I can't smell anythi--- oh GODS now I do!"

 

Aranea giggled as she did her business. What a lovely group of people she'd met. Too bad she'd probably never seen any one of them again. Probably not even Luna. That wasn't because she didn't want to—that's just how life worked.

 

Aranea went from her shower straight into bed, neglecting to say goodbye to everyone in the living room. Luna came in shortly afterward, and slipped into bed with her. Maybe once upon a time, Luna would have pressed her forehead into the small of her back, and warmed Aranae's whole body with the simple gesture... but that had been months ago that felt like another life where Aranea could dream about a life with her. They'd played around emotionally, flirted, touched... but it was just games, just an illusion of something resembling romance that had not one nail of commitment to it. And Aranea was too old for the games, and Luna was too uncertain about what she wanted romantically when her own future was predetermined elsewhere, a new life awaiting her miles and miles away.

 

Reality was cold, as were the sheets. Luna stuck to her side, and the night was over.

 

The morning came, and the happy buzz of kissing husbands and snuggly groomsmen was gone. Aranea was just eager to get home and shake off the glitter. Because that's all it was--- temporary. She had a mind to stay a bit longer and spend time with Luna, who she was sure she wouldn't be able to see again after this, but with a long day's travel ahead, and with Luna not desiring her presence as strongly as she once had months ago, Aranea only be subjecting herself to torture of the sweetest kind.

 

Aranea was tired of giving more of herself than people gave in return.

 

She lingered long enough to see the two husbands return to their still messy apartment after a night alone, hugged all three of them, thanked them for the lovely time and for the invitation, and took her leave.

 

"Wait wait!"

 

Aranea stomped her foot on the brakes. She rolled down her window, and there, panting because he had fucking run over to her, was Prompto, with a bagel covered in blueberry cream cheese. He smiled, full of earnest, and it nearly broke Aranea's heart. "For the road. Safe travels, and thank you so much for coming!"

 

Aranea swallowed, took the bagel, and offered a wobbly smile right back, because she knew words would betray her. Prompto stood in the grass and waved her out of the apartment complex like seeing a ship pull away from the harbor.  Aranea knew then, more than when she saw them kiss at the altar, or push cake into their faces, that Noctis was one of the luckiest men in the world.

 

This wasn't a thought born from jealousy, envy, pessimism, or warped desire. It was just a fact. From everything Aranea had seen and heard over the course of a year, this was a truth. Prompto was going to make Noctis very very happy for a long long time, maybe even the rest of his life.  What hurt wasn't this truth, it was seeing someone like Prompto in the flesh. People like him actually existed. Actually took in the same air and walked the same earth. They weren't make believe. They weren't fairy tales.

 

Aranae scoffed and finished her bagel. Yeah, she'd thought people like Prompto didn't exist once upon a time. She'd been proven wrong, but that only made it worse. Because having hope was a dangerous thing. Because that hope meant that there was someone out there like that for everyone. But for her, it was just too late to find. Oh well.


	2. Sustainability

Work was work, and training continued. She wasn't going to go further in kendo, but it still felt good to her after years and years of being in the practice. Yoga was a bit more agreeable with her nowadays, but feeling the weight of the equipment on her body, the cage around her face, and the study handle of her shinai--- she'd never drop kendo. There was nothing quite like it.

 

"How was the wedding?" Shiva asked her after their session ended.

 

"It was... cute. Cute is definitely the word I'd use." Aranea scoffed, taking off her helmet and plopping down on the mat, thoroughly exhausted.

 

"Most people go with 'beautiful'. Or 'heart warming'. Or 'wonderful'," Shiva smirked, sitting down beside her. She removed her own helmet, and shook out her braids, pulling them to rest on one of her shoulders.

 

"It was as I said, cute. Dunno what you want me to say." Aranea frowned and wiped her face with a rag Shiva tossed her. She kept her face down, because she hated how Shiva knew when she had more to say and should probably say it.

 

"You see anyone particularly cute there?" She pressed, and Aranea growled under her breath.

 

"No one old enough to drink with, surely."

 

"Ouch."

 

Aranea shook her head. Okay, that wasn't fair. "No, Shiva. I didn't. I wasn't exactly dogging or anything. Was just being supportive for Luna and the guys."

 

"Like you would ever go dogging in your life."

 

"Nope, sure wouldn't. But it sure looks like a lot of fun," Aranea smirked, leaning forward on her arms. The two of them have always been like this. They grew up in Kendo, ran the competitive scene, argued, laughed-- everything and anything in a best friend, a sister, that Aranea could want, Shiva was. Aranea could be vulgar with her, cry with her, pissed at her, and Shiva could do the same with her. Shiva was family.

 

"Really, how was it?"

 

"It was okay. Great food. Supportive families. Nice booze. The grooms have good friends—they're... they're good people."

 

"But not your people?"

 

Aranea groaned. Here we go. "Look, I went because Luna asked me months ago... when we were fooling around and closer friends. Now that we aren't, and she's moved onto some other girl, I... it's not like I was her date anymore. You can't exactly hold hands or be all touchy with someone you aren't with. And it would have been weird to even look at anyone else while I was her plus one. I didn't want to be disrespectful. But other than that, no, seriously, no one was there I was interested in. Most of them were either from out of town or... just too young. Or instantly turned off once I told them how old I was."

 

Shiva snickered. "Why not just lie like any other woman our ages?"

 

"Because that's petty?" Aranea scoffed. "I'm 32. That's not gonna magically go back down to 19 just because I look nothing like 32. If someone is suddenly turned off by me being 32, then they aren't someone I wanna fool around with anyway."

 

Shiva shrugged, standing up to put away their shinai. "True, but maybe lying, and telling the truth later--"

 

"--is deceptive as fuck, Shiva, the hell. What's gotten into you?"

 

Shiva shrugged and, after sitting back down, but closer, gave her friend a sad smile. "I'm just... tired of seeing you by yourself. You're a hard worker, an amazing  _kendōka_ , determined, tenacious... but... you don't have anyone."

 

"… that's just the way things work out sometimes, Shiva. I'm fine. I'll be fine." Aranea would have said something like this with much more conviction before the wedding. Hell, even before and after breaking whatever it was off with Luna, Aranea still would have spoken with much more strength than now.

 

_"Be safe, and thank you!"_

 

_"…_ Fuck _."_ Aranea felt the sting of the tear before it slid down her cheek. Shiva flinched and grabbed Aranea's thigh, squeezing it.

 

"What. Happened?"

 

"Just.... nothing. Look, it's _nothing_. Just some fucking really cute kid who... who just... " Aranea hissed but slumped forward. "He got married."

 

"Which one? Prompto one or Noctis one?"

 

"Tch, _not_ Noctis. It was Prompto..." Aranea sighed and pressed the tear off her face like an offensive speck of food. "He's... more than cute. He's precious. And he's precious without asking for anything in return. I've never met anyone so... fucking genuinely nice. Someone who actually is just nice and conversational without ulterior motive who wasn't also a fucking idiot. He just _is_. It's his default. And he's married. It's the epitome of 'the good ones are always taken'. Not that he's my type or anything. But..."

 

Shiva let go, and slumped as well, but with that little smile of hers. "There's more than one of him out there."

 

"Yeah."

 

A beat passed between them, as if the oppressive air that wasn't snuffed out by the kendo session was finally aired out.

 

Shiva laid down on her back and looked at the ceiling, before giggling. Aranea scowled and poked her with her foot. "What's so funny?"

 

"It's the nice ones. They always get you, don't they?"

 

"Don't know what you're talking about."

 

"You know," Shiva cooed, laying on her side with a propped elbow. "The nice ones. The considerate ones. The ones that give affection and kindness without a second thought. They are your weakness. Like that boy in our first Kendo session that loooong time ago. You kicked his ass, and he stopped being nice, and you cried so much. And there are those girls and guys online--"

 

"Oh geez Shiva, don't..." Aranea whined and flopped onto her stomach, pressing her face into folded arms.

 

"Then it was that boy in college. Too bad he was unmedicated. You would have finally lost that pesky V card on him, definitely. Then it was that _other_ girl online, but she was a fucking liar, wasn't she? Manipulative bitch--- wish I could have doxxed her, seriously. Then Luna just came from nowhere, didn't sure? Had you around her finger with that pretty smile and bubbly personality. Too bad she's moving. And... what? Ace too, right?"

 

"Yeah," Aranea mumbled into her arm, then propped her chin a bit to speak. "But it wasn't why we broke up. At least, I don't think. I mean.. I would keep my V card forever if we... tch. She never… claimed me. It was always 'I don't know' and 'perhaps'. She never outright wanted to be mine, or let me be hers. Then I spooked her somehow. I don't know what it was, Shiv. Something I said? Something I didn't say… didn't do? And…then she just moved onto some other person. Like we never had anything."

 

Shiva reached out and stroked Aranea's hair. "Maybe you didn't."

 

"… then I wish she never gave me the hope that there was."

 

But, Shiva was missing one, the most important one. And she would continue to miss one for as long as Aranea drew breath. Shiva herself.

 

Shiva was Aranea's sexual awakening before she even knew what it was. Before then, when her mother had given her the talk, she didn't even understand the point. She was going to Nationals one day--- she didn't have time for stuff like boys and sex or anything like that. She had to train so she could be strong. That was her only goal.

 

Then Shiva joined the dojo. But it had nothing to do with her body, and everything to do with her mind. The warmth started in Aranea's mind when Shiva was so kind to her, outside and inside the dojo. It was almost as if she had a headache, which rolled through her young body, and settled in her chest, not her genitals.

 

She wanted to know everything about her, where she was from, what her favorite cartoon was, her favorite meal, favorite kendo technique. Shiva, either not used to the attention or overwhelmed by Aranea's energy, was offish at first, but warmed up to Aranea, which only encouraged her overzealous behavior. She was so smitten, but didn't realize, that even Shiva had said to her one day _'could you stop?'_

 

Aranea hadn't understood. _'What do you mean?'_

 

_'Like, could you stop being so... I dunno...'_

 

_'I don't get what you're saying. Just spit it out.'_

 

_'Like this morning when you told me that you liked my hair long when I said I was gonna cut it for kendo... everyone's... asking me stuff. It's embarrassing.'_

 

_'Who cares what anyone else thinks.'_

 

_'Maybe you should.'_

 

It was kinda their first fight. Ironic, since her failure to recognize when someone was unhappy caused Shiva not to speak with her those years ago… just like Luna had distanced herself from her. Only Shiva actually let her know, and Luna simply stopped communicating as often.

 

After Aranea's failure to realize her own possessive nature, Shiva stopped being as close with her. She figured it was just another person gone from her life and she'd have to move on and simply focus on kendo and school. That was it. In Aranea's mind, Shiva just so happened to be there, and by the time their shot at Nationals came, neither Shiva or Aranea made it. They split, going to different colleges, but time healed childhood embarrassments. They started to keep each other in mind and in the loop. Life brought them back together years later, and now, they sparred at least twice a week.

 

It was after the psychotic college boyfriend and several long distance relationships that Aranea thought about Shiva herself after telling her about the past few years. In this reflection, Aranea realized she'd been in love with her back then, even if it was just of the puppy variety. That realization came with a sudden heat that had metaphorically shoved her off her feet so viciously that it was baffling. 20 years of feeling nothing sexual from any stimuli, and suddenly her mind was roused with thoughts of dark skin, and plush black lips and pretty black eyes hidden underneath long plaited hair.

 

Masturbation had never felt so good.

 

But that was it, however. Aranea knew that Shiva was not gay, having a string of guys in her pocket since middle school. She even said, outright, that 'vaginas were strange and squishy and gross things'. She never was without a guy, but that wasn't due to her searching--- they just seemed to flock to her despite her busy life. They wanted to be with her, and Shiva accepted their attentions, whether because she actually liked them, or because they had something she wanted. Shiva wasn't a perfect person, often falling to greed. Her own wants often became the determining factor in who she spent her time with. She even put up with sex she didn't want and comments she didn't particularly care for if it meant the guy could get her what she desired.

 

Thankfully, Shiva grew out of that behavior, and was currently engaged to a decent man who would give her the sun if he could. Ifrought? She could never pronounce his name right. Unfortunately, because of years of unwanted physical attention, she'd become sex repulsed and didn't care for his touchy-feely form of affection.

 

"Aranea? Hey, you in there, girl?"

 

"H-hnm? Ugh, yeah... sorry." Aranea slowly got onto her hands and knees, groaning as she moved onto her feet.

 

"Hey, if you can't laugh at your past, you'll just be miserable. And I only brought that up because it's true. You're a sucker for the nice guys."

 

" _Thanks_ , Shiv. Because that just makes me feel so much better," Aranea frowned, "I'm heading home. Catch ya next week."

 

"Call me? I got a place I want to check out this weekend."

 

"Yeah sure." Aranea didn't hold her breath. Shiva had a tendency to drop plans due to family issues. She would have been seriously surprised if she was still available to go out and drink come this weekend.

 

She went to the showers, changed, and left the dojo, feeling a tension headache encroaching just from crying that single tear. There was just no point in thinking about stuff that wouldn't change.  Aranea had her lot--- she would work and practice kendo until she died. She had a great job and she was great at kendo. She had Shiva as a friend, as well as a few choice people around the country that would always welcome her. She had a nice home with a pretty chocobo that sang pretty songs and sassed her with mimicry sometimes. And she was pretty hot, at least she thought so. She had what she needed to be happy.

 

_"Thanks for coming!"_

 

"Fuck..."

 

This behavior, this wishful thinking, had to stop. It was pointless to wish and hope and dream. All avenues were closed, all possible ends towards having someone to love were gone. Shiva was gone, Luna, and everyone else she'd dared to outreach to. Prompto had found his one before Aranea even knew she wanted anyone. And after 12 more years, nothing to show for it.

 

After taking another shower and brewing some tea, Aranea popped in that not-anime that she owned, feeling nostalgic. She remembered when the TV station first advertised for the show, and she'd fallen in love with the art and martial arts take on things. It was funny that people a half decade younger than her shared her love, but in this age, nothing was out of reach of young people going back in time to find something new.

 

She took Talcott out of his cage to play about, and the pretty yellow chocobo perched on her shoulder, then in her hair. She giggled when he started messing about while pouring seed into her palm to keep him happy. "There you are, fatty."

 

"Fatty~!"

 

"Aww damnit. A new word..." Aranea snickered. A few more episodes and it was time for rest. She tucked Talcott back into his cage and covered it up. She almost felt better. Almost. The glitter was almost shaken off. Just a bit more time and she'd be back to normal.

 

Aranea went to bed, double checking her phone for the two alarms she set and closed her eyes. As she slept, she received a message on an app she never checks and had muted the notifications for. So, she continued to slumber, none the wiser.


	3. Flexibility

It took a week for Aranea to have this sneaking feeling that she was missing something. She looked through her phone at the few apps that she owned, and finally, looked in the apps not saved to her homepage. She had a notification from a social networking messenger that she rarely went into nowadays. She didn't really see the point-- all of her Kendo, college, or high school associates either were no longer on speaking terms with her, or had left the platform as well, opting to text Aranea or call her if they needed her or wanted to catch up. But, apparently, she had been added to a group chat. The chat group included all of the people who she didn't believe she'd see again.

 

Minus a few others, but for the most part, every person she'd spent time with at the after-wedding party was in this chat. Aranea wasn't sure who put her in here, or who organized the group chat, but she had a feeling she was the last to be added, and that this chat had been primarily used as an organizational hub for wedding planning.

 

She wasn't sure why she was added at this point. The party was over, husbands created, yadda yadda. But, she'd been added and also tagged, so it made her notifications go crazy.

 

Apparently, one named Ignis, which had to be the one nicknamed 'Iggy' at the party, had tagged her and asked if she had gotten home okay. Prompto, as well, asked if she was alright, which made her cheeks hurt. Luna had asked if Ignis and Gladio had gotten back to their homes okay, and everyone assured everyone that everyone was safe.

 

Cute.

 

That seemed to be the end of the previous late night conversation, and Aranea pondered if she should exit the chat. There was really no need for her to stay in it, and she really didn't have much to say.  These weren't her friends, they were Luna's. And really, they weren't even Luna's friends. They were closer to Prompto and Noctis. And they were miles away from each other, with responsibilities, jobs, and priorities. Aranea stared at the option to leave the chat.

 

She grumbled and went back to the phone's homepage. It would be rude to leave after being invited. And the most that would happen, as things tended to go, is that the chat group would naturally die from lack of activity. The first person will leave, followed by another, and then another. When that happened, then Aranea would leave the group. That seemed the best option.

 

\---

 

Work was work, but work wasn't actually just work this time.

 

During lunch, her notifications popped up again. The group chat sprang to life. Gladio had asked her a question, and as soon as she read the message, wholly intending to ignore it, Aranea remembered--- the group chat notified others when someone else had read a message. "Goddamnit..."

 

> **Gladio** _:_ "Hey you have any more recommendations for exercises?"

 

"What in the hell?" Aranea grumbled, pouting at the message. What was this about? After wasting 15 minutes of lunch time to figure out why Gladio would ask her this, Aranea rolled her eyes and just answered. "For fuck's sake..."

 

> **Me** _:_ I dunno, what are you trying to accomplish?

 

She put her phone down and went back to eating, and only then remembered that she _had_ been talking about kendo exercises with Gladio during the party at one point.  Perhaps he was trying to make small talk? Or, maybe, he had a thought about it and, since they weren't friends and he didn't have her phone number, he used the group chat to ask. Kinda weird, but, it was an innocent question.

 

She didn't expect him to respond immediately. Apparently, Gladio and Ignis lived in another time zone, so they were certainly, not only busy, but not in the same realm of busy. She put her phone completely away after lunch and continued with her day.

 

A yoga session later, and Aranea was at home, reading with Talcott perched on her head. The bird then hopped off, moving further and further down, until it stuck its claws into her butt. She flinched and batted at the bird, who flew away towards his cage. "Ugh, and I was getting to the good part..."

 

Immersion was hard to achieve for Aranea when she was constantly thinking of both work and kendo. With immersion broken, it wasn't going to come back until tomorrow, so Aranea called it a night.

 

She checked her alarms, and noticed that she had gotten another notification.

 

There was more chatter on the chat about how excited Luna was about moving, one of the other groomsmen talking about how cute and lovey dovey Prom and Noct were being on the main social network, and Gladio answering her previous question.

 

> **Gladio** : Legs mostly. And flexibility. I can barely touch my toes.

 

"…. Flexibility? I mean... yoga, duh?" Aranea sucked her teeth. Guys she knew usually saw yoga as a 'chick' thing, but everyone needed more flexibility in their lives. She was glad that the mentality behind yoga was breaking away from its gender lock, sorta speak, but yoga still wasn't the first thing a lot of people thought to do to help their bodies. Most just 'stretched' before a workout, and thought that was it.

 

> **Me** : Try Yoga.
> 
> **Gladio** : It's really difficult and the instructor makes it look so easy.

 

"Hnm, he must be online I guess." Aranea mused when Gladio answered right away. Time zones and everything.

 

> **Me** : You just gotta start slow and work your way up to it. If your local instructor is worth a damn, they'll give alternative poses for beginners. And you have to start at beginners. You can't just rush into high difficulty poses.
> 
> **Gladio** : Alright, thanks!

 

Aranea sighed and put her phone down to charge. Well, that was that.

 

Or so she thought.

 

Somehow, some way, a guy miles away started to influence Aranea's life. He'd taken to speaking with her off the main chat, which was close to dying as Aranea predicted. It was a full month of popping in and out of her thoughts like the notification _bing_ that she'd reactivated for that messenger app. Just so she wouldn't miss his messages when they came.

 

Gladiolus seemed to be doing the same. She only received messages when she was on her lunch break, in bed, or in the morning in her time zone. In return, she answered when she knew he was in down periods, and didn't expect answers until then.

 

At first, they were just simple messages: more pointers on workouts, the best yoga postures for his lower back and his legs, her favorite poses, etc. Aranea started to get curious of Gladio in general, and asked him questions in return. She remembered his physique, all solid muscle from neck to toe. No one simply got that way overnight, not even at the start of adolescence. That took dedication. So, she asked about it after a month of sporadic messages.

 

> **Me** : You do weight lifting competitively?

 

The message lingered there as she knew it would, but somehow, she was more anxious about it than the others. Gladio answered later that afternoon while she was reading with Talcott.

 

> **Gladio** : Thought about it, but then I had some family responsibilities I needed to take care of. So I couldn't go all in.  
>    
> **Gladio** : But I can't breathe if I don't hit the gym at least for three hours. If not that, I have weights at home I use. It just feels weird if I don't

 

Putting a bookmark to her novel, Aranea focused on her phone.

 

> **Me** : You practice any sports?

 

A few seconds later, the animation for typing appeared. Gladio wasn't busy, and they'd be able to have a bit of a conversation. She felt herself smile at that, and waited.

 

> **Gladio** : No, but I always wanted to try somethin. You remember I told you a while back that Im in management? Kinda makes it hard to attend sports sessions where I live.

> **Gladio** : And when I do got time, I just wanna 

> **Gladio** : But if I could Id maybe do a martial art like you do. What was it, Judo?

 

Aranea chuckled and started to respond.

 

> **Me** : Close, I suppose. Kendo. The one with the stick.
> 
> **Gladio** : Ah, right! I bet you could do Judo too. It's always the small ones that pack the most punch.

 

Aranea side stepped that possible flirtation. She had a feeling that Gladio was just a naturally open person. Not something to read too much into.

 

> **Me** : I tried it, but I like Kendo more.
> 
> **Gladio** : Well I'd definitely try Judo or Karate. Or maybe Kendo like you. But there's not a lot of places around here that teach that.
> 
> **Me** : Yeah, it's not the most popular sport.
> 
> **Gladio** : Maybe I can try that Brazil kick boxing thing

 

Aranea snorted, knowing what he meant, and being able to hear Gladio's voice in the text only amplified the mirth she felt. He was being silly again.

 

> **Me** : Couldn't see you lifting your huge legs to swing at anything
> 
> **Gladio** : Hey, I don't skip leg day.
> 
> **Me** : That's obvious enough
> 
> **Gladio** : Heh I guess I made an impression if you remember my legs after a month.

 

"Cheeky shit," she sucked her teeth, caught off by this guy despite predicting correctly that he was a bit flirtatious. But, truthfully, by now, she should have been used to his reckless jabs. Talcott mimicked her, sounding as if he'd sucked his teeth right back at her.

 

"Hey, don't you sass me, boy," she huffed, looking over her shoulder at the silly bird perched on her thigh.

 

> **Me** : You're hard to miss. You could probably knock over a chair with your fingernail.
> 
> **Gladio** : I'd ask permission first.
> 
> **Me** : Aren't you in a good mood tonight?
> 
> **Gladio** : I am actually. Ignis got me this really rare sake. And before you ask, no I'm not tipsy. I'm not cracking that open until the next special occasion.
> 
> **Me** : That guy really looks out for you
> 
> **Gladio** : yeah he does.
> 
> **Me** : you sure you guys aren't

 

And it took Aranea a while to find the correct emoji, but it was worth it to see the icons perfectly placed to mimic sex. She had brought up their dynamic earlier in the mist of their texting the past month. She just had to know for certain, and Gladio had laughed and said 'they get that a lot'.

 

> **Me** : 
> 
> **Gladio** : I told ya before, no
> 
> **Gladio** : But you sure enjoy thinking about that dont you?
> 
> **Me** : Nah, just people with good chemistry is nice to see. Intimate or not, I'm glad you have each other.

 

And that was the truth. She wasn't trying to push Gladio and Ignis together, by any means. Sure, they would make a smoking hot power couple, but far be it for her to pressure for it. Especially since, for all their communicating, Gladio was still not really Aranea's friend. She didn't think so, anyway. She had learned that lesson before; not everyone she talked with online was her friend, or even an associate. Just a pen pal, for many, even when they don't realize that themselves.

 

She wouldn't drop everything for someone on the other side of the world again. Not ever again, because they never cared to do the same for her.

 

Talcott buzzed, mimicking her phone going off in succession while her mind wandered off into that fucking melancholy again.

 

> **Gladio** : I am lucky to have him as a friend, yeah. And you're right, true friendships are hard to find. Even harder to develop as you get older I think. Because when you're younger, you put up with a lotta shit. When you get older, there's only so much pettiness that you're willing to deal with, ya know?

 

Aranea nodded to no one as she answered.

 

> **Me** : Yeah. Although you're still young, and you're rather charming despite your ugly mug, so I think you'll keep finding more friends worth a damn
> 
> **Gladio** : Ha! Well thanks for the good luck. But I am getting to a point where I'm only able to focus on people I know will treat me well. Like Ignis, and Noctis and Prompto have my back if I'm ever in a snag, I'm sure. I got my family too, but other than a few others, I'm not going to waste my time.
> 
> **Gladio** : And that's not because people aren't worth it. I just, literally, don't got the time like I used to. Not like in the good ol' days you could hang out with everyone who'll talk to you.

 

Aranea typed before she thought, then hissed at her message.

 

> **Me** : Oh? Then what does that say about me and you?
> 
> **Gladio** : Oh, you're definitely worth my time. Even more so, if we weren't so far away from each other.

 

Aranea felt her mind partially turn off and go into auto pilot. She shifted to laying on her side on the couch, and Talcott fluttered off her body to perch on the back cushions.

 

> **Me** : Dunno why. We've just been chatting.

> **Gladio** : and you seemed like a nice person at the wedding. And I've gotten to know you a little better this month. Usually, if we were close by, the next move is to just hang out.

> **Me** : That's true. Suppose I'm just surprised ----

 

Aranea sucked her teeth again and deleted the message before sending. There was that fucking nagging sensation again. Why did it fucking matter how old she was or how old he was? He knew how old she was… didn't he? She could have sworn he asked at some point. She couldn't remember.

 

_Did_ he know? If he was being friendly because he had the impression that they were close in age, then she should tell him. It might dampen their blooming friendship, but it would be a more honest relationship overall. But… wait…

 

Her age was displayed on the social networking site attached to this massager. So he would know. At the very least, Luna would have told Prompto, who would have told Gladio and Ignis or _something_. That's how information spread, usually. Aranea relaxed again, and rethought her response.

 

> **Me** : it would be nice to spend some time in the gym with you I guess. Put you through your yoga paces.
> 
> **Gladio** : Hell ya. Make sure my postures right. That shit's hard, but I already feel way better. Thanks for that suggestion by the way. Funny thing is, Iggy had told me about yoga before but I just didn't believe him.
> 
> **Me** : Ignis seems like a smart guy. You should listen more often.
> 
> **Gladio** : Yeah, maybe.
> 
> **Gladio** : Ya know, it's only nine hours between the two of us. Give or take traffic.

 

Aranea's brows wrinkled. "The hell are you up to, big guy?"

 

> **Me** : Yeah, that's about right.
> 
> **Gladio** : Maybe we can meet up? Visit each other. Hang out--- drag Ignis around.
> 
> **Me** : Oh I'm sure he'd just love that
> 
> **Gladio** : He'll have fun. He doesn't text very often, but he does ask me about you since we started talking. Looks like he enjoyed your company at the wedding too.

 

"He did?" She barely got to interact with him, but, if Gladio said so.

 

> **Me** : ??
> 
> **Gladio** : He thought you were 'intriguing'. That was the word he used.

 

Aranea yawned and cursed her sleeping schedule. Talcott mimicked.

 

> **Me** : I'm 'intrigued' with my bed right about now. This was nice Gladio, I'm glad we could chat.

 

She brushed aside thoughts and plans of seeing Gladio again despite the guy bringing it up in the first place. She didn't need to go to bed with that sorta distracting train of thought. But, against better judgment, she still allowed herself an opening.

 

> **Me** : and maybe we can coordinate some time. Times to talk and stuff.
> 
> **Gladio** : Haha, fair enough.

 

She sat up and stretched her toes out from her body, enjoying the release of her thigh and calf muscles. She scrolled up and then slowly down, reviewing their small little conversation. An actual conversation--- not a drop of inquiry or a silly comment sent in the middle of the day. She wouldn't have believed it if it weren't staring her back in the face.

 

Her cheeks hurt.

 

"… time for bed, Talcott."

 

The bird sucked its teeth.

 

Aranea went to bed, her phone charging on the nightstand behind her. During the night, she received one more text.

 

> **Gladio** : Get some rest.


	4. Believability

It was another month until she felt comfortable enough to see Gladio again, and another half month until she was able to make time in her schedule to have Gladio in her apartment. She would have gone to him, but it didn't sit right with her, too many instances of extending herself too far too fast with people.

 

 

She still had their conversation in her text logs from where they were cementing the final loopholes of visitation.

 

 

> **Me** : How about you come to me. I know some spots.
> 
> **Gladio** : Not a problem; I was thinking the same?
> 
> **Me** : Oh yeah?
> 
> **Gladio** : Yeah. Not to show chivalry, but the guy should come to the lady, not the other way around.
> 
> **Me** : Then why are you coming to me? 
> 
> **Gladio** : smooth.

 

 

Through all her excuses and stipulations and hesitation, Gladio had been very… understanding, if that was the word Aranea would use. ' _Patient_ ' would be the better word. Because she was being a hard ass and flighty, if she was being honest. And she truly didn't understand why. Why was this such a big deal? She was just having a friend over.

 

 

Were they truly friends at this point? She'd known someone for years, spoke to them online, and even went to them on occasion, spending hundreds of dollars on planes and buses and trains and hotels, and ultimately, they never truly knew each other. She kept Shiva in the loop of everything with every text, and selfie, and anxious thought. Then, a week before Gladio's visit, Shiva brought down the final nail in the procrastination coffin.

 

 

"You know more about Gladio and Ignis than you ever did about those fuckers online."

 

 

Shiva had been right. He knew about Gladio and his management job in a cyber security company, and when he hated it and when he loved it. He learned about Ignis, and that they lived separately, but practically lived together, and that the man was well on his way to becoming a culinary genius. She was there when he had been accidentally poisoned by one of Ignis' dishes, and that they now knew that he couldn't drink whole milk. A week of whining and bed selfies sent of himself all sick and pathetic and Aranea laughing at him fondly.

 

 

Gladio spoke to her when he was sad, and when he was happy, and when he was just feeling contemplative, which was her favorite version of Gladio.

 

 

She was waiting in her apartment's lobby for his car to pull up, eying her phone here and there just in case something came up. But Gladio had messaged that he was five minutes away. Then, her phone did go off, causing Aranea to flinch and unlock it immediately.

 

 

It was just Shiva.

 

 

> **Shiva** : Is he there yet? 

 

 

"Imma kill her." She tossed her phone to the side, letting it bounce on the cushion.

 

 

Soon, a Jeep pulled into the parking lot, the same one Gladio told her he'd come in. It was followed by greetings, kind words, and surprisingly soft looks. It was stunning, how warm the smile Gladio gave her, right before he lowered a hand down to her head, and then back up to his head, smirking.

 

 

"You always been so short, geez?"

 

 

"You're just ridiculously fucking tall." She barked, jabbing his chest with a finger before pressing the door to the elevator. "Make sure to duck before you get in."

 

 

His laugh made her chest warm.

 

 

The first few hours were spent showing him where he'd sleep, where to put his things, and Talcott, who immediately perched in his fluffed hair like the nest it was. Gladio didn't mind and it earned him even more brownie points. When she had started keeping brownie points, Aranea didn't know.

 

 

The guy was exhausted from the drive, and after some water and asking if he could rest eyes for a minute, Aranea found herself with a lap full of Gladio's head and Talcott still there as he fell asleep. It was beyond comprehension.

 

 

This guy, who she only kinda sorta bonded with during a post-wedding gathering, was currently laying on her couch asleep with his head on her thighs as if they'd been friends for years instead of just messaging each other back and forth for two and a half months.

 

 

But she wasn't exactly pushing him off or discouraging him either. Perhaps she should be-- these were some strange signals being passed here.

 

 

Was Gladio just naturally snuggly? He had been a part of that cuddle pile those weeks ago, but he'd been laying on Ignis, not anyone else. Maybe because they already knew each other, and now that he knew her, she was getting the snuggling treatment. Or, maybe Gladio was… interested in her? But then why? She was miles away, and they barely knew each other.

 

 

She felt the concern of their age difference pool in her stomach, and making her chest tight. She was so fucking tired of that continuously being in the back of her mind, nagging her like her father used to. Yet, it kept coming up.

 

 

He was 25 years old, even if he looked closer to 30 with his bulk, and his hair-touched face, and scars. Weren’t there some nice girls around Lestallum that were closer to his age and readily available to… actually be there? To speak to him face to face, laugh right next to him, walk beside him, touch him and be touched. What was Gladio doing here sleeping on the couch of a 32 year old woman?

 

 

Unless, he just didn't care and that he was there because they had the same humor, drank the same alcohol, had the same taste in women, and apparently men, enjoyed working out, and read the same sort of books. They weren't distant in terms of what they liked and their personalities. It was just the distance, which was now rectified, albeit temporarily. Aranea found herself relaxing and sinking into the couch with one last prevailing thought.

 

 

Perhaps Gladio was being so snuggly because that was all that was left between them-- the physical aspect. Platonic or not, he had probably missed her, and was trying to make up for the month and a half that he couldn't look at her, or didn't need a phone to communicate with her. Aranea was right here for him to smile at, touch, and even be flippantly close with, his rough stubbly cheek scratching gingerly at her exposed thigh.

 

 

Talcott perched on Gladio's jean covered butt, which caused him to grunt, but not awaken.

 

 

"Fatty~"

 

 

Aranea snorted and covered her mouth in laughter. "Yeah, a real fatty. And a nice pair of tits too."

 

 

"Fatty~" Talcott mimicked the sucking teeth noise, and Aranea giggled even harder, trying to keep still and quiet for Gladio's sake.

 

 

"You're a horrible thing."

 

 

Talcott merely gave a pretty whistle, and walked all the way up Gladio's body until fluttering up to Aranea's shoulder to hide in her loose hair. He nuzzled into her cheek, singing, and Aranea really didn't have it in her to be anything other than pleased.

 

 

Her other hand absently stroked through Gladio's hair. There was no where she had to be better than here.

 

 

\---

 

 

Gladio didn't wake up until later that night. Between then and now, Aranea had put Talcott back in his cage and received a text from Ignis, who only wanted to know if his friend had made it to his destination safely. She sent him a picture of him sleeping in her lap with Talcott curled up in his hair.

 

 

Ignis sent back only a thumbs up emoji. That guy had very sharp humor when he showed it, and he showed more often where Gladio was concerned.

 

 

Those two… Aranea really hadn't seen a closer pair besides romantically locked ones.

She'd shown Gladio the picture once he woke up, and he chuckled, noting that he was drooling. He peered at her legs. "Hope I didn't get you too wet."

 

 

Aranea gave him a look between disbelief and scolding, because he had to have known what he just said, and how he said it. She smacked him with a blanket as she sat back down, placing drinks and a fruit bowl down on the coffee table. Just enough time to get him flustered with sudden darkness while she brought her heartrate down.

 

 

"Delivery should be here in 30 minutes. Best wutanese food you'll ever eat."

 

 

"Hnm, I du---"

 

 

"Okay, almost as good as Ignis' stir fry."

 

 

Glado chuckled and leaned back on the couch, resting an arm behind Aranea. Instead of it being an awkward move used by guys to try and pull in their significant other, Gladio was just a large guy and needed the space. Aranea was small in comparison, and didn't mind that her head leaned into his forearm.

 

 

"Alright, now we're talkin."

 

 

They watched a movie based off a book series they absolutely adored. They kept pausing to talk about the differences - good and bad - they spotted in the film, with one conversation leading to a partial argument about the merits of cutting out scenes in books because they don't translate well into movies.

 

 

The doorbell rang to cut through the disagreement, with Aranea declaring that he had best change his mind in the meantime. She came back to the living room with Gladio laying on his back, pouting.

 

 

"Argh, don't do that."

 

 

Gladio merely pouted harder, causing Aranea to ignore him and tuck into her food, turning the movie back on.

 

 

"Oh, c'mon, Nea--"

 

 

"Watching the movie now. "

 

 

He flopped backwards upon the back couch cushion. "Look, you gotta see that cutting stuff is sometimes necessary, right?"

 

 

Aranea munched into her spring roll, and focused. But she wasn't upset. Not even a little bit. She saw Gladio's point entirely. But this whole situation, this whole circumstance surrounding them was completely unbelievable, surreal, yet amazing. To be with someone like him, and spend the night napping, texting, and critiquing book adaptation movies was something Aranea could never imagine for herself. Not one mention of Kendo, or work. Just what they loved between themselves, and a little extra.

 

 

This… small little extra that was sparking between them grew stronger, like a current passing through an amplifier. Every smile, every crude comment, every pass of skin to skin, and every moment Gladio was still pouting because he thought Aranea was actually mad at him. This extra made her chest bloom with warmth, his cheeks to hurt with smiling, and her core twitch right below her belly button.

 

 

She crossed her legs, placing the remote on her knee.

 

 

"Nea… C'mon…"

 

 

Gladio moved to take the remote and pause the movie, but wasn't quick enough for Aranea to snatch it. Which she did, which Gladio didn't count on, and moved his bulk more forward than he wanted. He fell upon her, immediately making Aranea sputter in surprise. That extra turned into a lot of extra, her body warming from the unintentional delight of having such solid weight over her.

 

 

"G-Gladio!" She pushed on his shoulder to get off.

 

 

"Sorry, sorry… Clumsy," he grunted, and moved to sit back upright. He cleared his throat, shoulders partially hunched at Aranea's little scowl, and suddenly, he looked so small. "Seriously, are you mad?"

 

 

Such sincerity. Actual consideration of Aranea's feelings. Kindness…

 

 

"Hey…" Aranea gently turned her body, pressed a palm to Gladio's knee, and leaned forward pressing her lips into the corner of Gladio's lips. The guy went back straight from the touch and the kiss, and his dark skin grew color along his ear and neck. She giggled in seeing it, stroking over his beard.

 

 

"I'm not upset, stupid. Just kinda cute seeing you so grumpy… And then so concerned. But I'm fine. Takes a lot to get me really upset." she explained.

 

 

She felt her face soften as she watched Gladio turn just so, her palm now covering his lips. She shivered in feeling them pucker there against her flesh. A kiss to return a kiss.

 

 

"Had me going…" he rumbled into her hand before gently sliding his own on top of the one resting on his knee. "I don't get to hear you talk a lot so I wasn't sure. But I shoulda known better-- you probably woulda kicked me out if you were really angry."

 

 

"Yeah… Probably. Or went to bed." Aranea swallowed, that extra something continuing to grow, making it too stifling to breathe, to concentrate on where this was going, and just allow it to happen. Aranea moved the hand over his mouth and let her fingertips trace his upper lip. He grinned against her touch.

 

 

"You like?" he rumbled again, and Aranea wondered why she never picked up just how much of a growl his voice was. She wasn't used to hearing him, just like he wasn't used to her.

 

 

"Hnm, they're nice lips." Because she wasn't going to suddenly turn into a stuttering mess because they were… they were doing this now. She'd danced this dance before. She was just a bit rusty, and practically stagnant where a guy was involved. Hell, where touch was involved. It'd been such a long fucking time since she'd been like this with someone, and Gladio's lips… damn, they were really nice.

 

 

"Glad they past your test. You've already passed all of mine."

 

 

"That right? Didn't know this was all some test." She let a fingernail catch on his bottom lip, and wet her own at how full they truly were. Gladiolus was… An attractive guy. Fuck, how had she not noticed before? How had she managed to just overlook how gorgeous he was, from his eyes, to his smile, to his body. Perhaps none of that mattered until she allowed herself to trust him.

 

 

Like a curtain pulling back, Gladio in his entirety was presented, as if becoming whole. A true reality.

 

 

"Not at first, but, you can't help it if someone checks all your boxes."

 

 

"What were those… Boxes?" Aranea felt herself being moved, but instead of being on her back, as she fully expected, she felt herself being laid on her stomach over Gladio, who laid an arm along her lower back to coax her down. The hand on Gladio's face trailed down his chin and along the cords of his neck. So solid…

 

 

"You're so feisty. And you march to your own tune-- never seem to be influenced to do anything but what you want and need to do. You're really smart, and you're fucking hilarious… And gorgeous. I would have hit on you harder, but I didn't get why someone like you was still single. You're… Nea, you're beyond a ten. I didn't believe you were truly single at first."

 

 

Aranea ducked her head, white hair hiding her face under sudden bashfulness. What in the hell was all that? How could he just… Say that? But then, that's why she liked Gladio right back. He was brash, blunt, and rarely just danced around topics. When asked, he gave his piece and allowed those pieces to lay where they settled without regret. She enjoyed that about him.

 

 

And yet, she still wasn't prepared for such honesty as Gladio knew it. Because she couldn't sense any flattery or any embellishment. Everything Gladio said was as he understood it to be true. Aranea believed Gladio truly believed that he found her so attractive that he didn't believe she was by herself in life.

 

 

"The shit you say…"

 

 

"You're not shit, so… I disagree…"

 

 

Gladio reached up and pulled back Aranea's hair, coaxing her to look up and straight into the face of honesty. Still no sign of deception.

 

 

"Nea… I wish I could be like this with you all the time."

 

 

"I… I do too." There was nothing harmful here. Nothing that would hurt her later. What was the harm to dive into this? Everything that would hint to the contrary was absent.

 

 

Gladio was safe. His affections were safe. The only thing that would hurt her later was the distance. And perhaps, something could be done about that. Such hope granted Aranea the final push to seek out the silent promise of Gladio's offer.

 

 

She gave a smile. She shifted her body just so, straddling the man below her and lowering down until their noses bumped. Gladio felt her resolve as her body relaxed upon him, and smiled right back.

 

 

"What's on your mind, Nea?" He asked, his voice in that rolling octave again, and this time, Aranea allowed herself to soak it all in, the depth of her voice stretching from her burning ears down her chest and radiating to her toes, her clit pulsing once where it pressed against her shorts and into Gladio's torso.

 

 

"Wondering how long you've been wanting me this way… Was it when you were bedridden last month, or when I was bitching about my ankle last week."

 

 

Gladio made a show of thinking, his hand resting on her lower back making circle through her tank top. "Mmmn… I think it was when you sent that yoga session to me you had your friend record. You're always so tough, and I love that, but you looked so peaceful… And I wanted to be there with you. Share that with you."

 

 

"Yeah, but I was also wearing a tight pair of yoga pants."

 

 

"You were? Didn't notice."

 

 

Aranea laughed into Gladio's chin when a large hand squeezed her ass. Laughter melted into a moan when he squeezed again, and again, rolling her ass under his touch. "F-fuck Gladio…"

 

 

"That was when I thought you were hot… But, as cliché as it is, I really… I really liked just you as you. As you were when you spoke to me; frank. I really liked that. Everything just fell into place." Gladio whispered as he lifted up just enough to mouth each word into the small of Aranea's neck.

 

 

She released a sound so small and high, that she would swear she never made such a noise until her death. That was until she made the noise again when Gladio nuzzled into her body in earnest, beard happily grazing her neck and shoulder and cheek. The hand on her ass continued to massage and knead while the other continued to draw circles on her lower back, adding more stirring heat across her skin

 

 

"Ahnm!"

 

 

"No way was I gonna have you drive to me… I wanted to be here, Nea… In your space. Surrounded by you. Because I really fucking like you."

 

 

She felt fingernails bite through the denim of her shorts. The pressure made her hands, now gripping Gladio's shoulders, bite into the tattooed flesh. They both groaned from sensation, bodies gathering more of that extra. This extra something--- this fucking arousal between them, making her mind hazy and her body light with need she hadn't experience in years.

 

 

"Gladio… Fuck, you're handsy" she hissed, smiling, squirming on top of him in the form of her hips rutting gently into the other. "Stop your teasing… I think… I get your point…"

 

 

"Do you?" Gladio moved his face from her neck and looked back to the woman's face. Aranea almost growled at such a ridiculous question. She wouldn't allow Gladio to feel her up like this if she hadn't. But, there it was again. That consideration--- that kindness. That Gladio wouldn't go any further than Aranea would allow. He wanted her badly, this much was clear, and Aranea had made her peace to allow herself Gladio's affection, but what exactly did Aranea desire?

She swallowed under his gaze, and wished for a moment that Gladio hadn't stopped touching her so she could melt back into the distracting haze of arousal. But Gladio needed this permission, and Aranea appreciated it despite her frustration to give it.

 

 

What she wanted was someone like Gladio and something like what he was offering. And she wanted to take it.

She reached behind her and gripped Gladio's wrist, coaxing him to continue. Her eyes were sharp. "Yes… So less talking, and don't stop touching me. And one more thing…"

 

 

"Yeah, Nea?" He rasped, eyes darkening in anticipation of the permission.

 

 

"Show me a good time."

 

 

The final string of restriction and excuse was snipped.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

After lifting her up and moving to her bedroom, clothing pulled off their bodies and tossed away, Aranea was surprised how quickly Gladio went for her cunt like a person starved. His tongue laved over her vulva and her clit over and over, one hand pressed over her quivering stomach and the other keeping her thighs open.

 

 

"Aghn, Gladio… Feels so good…"

 

 

She'd come once already, shaking out an orgasm long overdue. After licking her clean, Gladio kept going, building her right back into a quivering mess. She couldn't taste that good, really, but she wasn't going to ask, and definitely wasn't going to stop him, keeping her fingers locked tight in his hair. Pulling and petting his head brought forth purrs and growls, vibrating through her fold and in her core. So fucking good, toes-curlingly good, she felt spoiled. Her back bowed, ankles rubbing at Gladio's upper back restlessly with how aggressive he was drinking from her.

 

 

"Fuck Gl-- Gladio, slow down! I'm not going anywhere…"

 

 

Despite her thighs pressed against his ears, he heard her and slowed down. He pulled his tongue from sliding in and out of her walls, and went back to her swollen clit. She had a large one, but unlike the norm, she was still sensitive there. Each lick and suck around her clit made her thrust into that wanting, greedy mouth, as if she had a--- Fuck, she'd have to file that kink away for later. Not tonight. She didn't want too much too fast. This was already rather irregular for her. For another night… if there was one...

 

 

"Fuck I love your smell…" Gladio mumbled into her hip, his mouth probably tired. The hand on Aranea's stomach moved down to touch and stroke over reddened puffy skin.

 

 

She flinched and shook her head, her hips jerking both away and forward his fingers. "N-no… Lube, damnit. Your hands are w-way too rough right now…."

 

 

Gladio, probably because he wanted to keep touching or because he was lazy, merely sucked on two of his fingers, as if that would do it. But, another pushy nudge with Aranea's foot coaxed him to do as he was told. She hummed pleasantly when he did, whispering, "Good boy…"

 

 

The body wide shiver Gladio released stroked something dark in Aranea that she hoped she could reflect and explore later in private.

 

 

Gladio coaxed her back to the edge with slick fingers and heavy tongue, hooking inside her, then pulling out just as he felt her core squeeze around him. She hated it, but loved the attention, the effort, and the focus to make her so completely wrecked. Gladio wanted to see her like this, clutching his hair and the bed sheet, her hair mused, sticking to her face and teeth-bitten breasts, solid thighs twitching and flexing with an orgasm that was right there.

 

 

"Fuck you're beautiful…"

 

 

"Gladio…"

 

 

"I want… To be inside you. That alright?"

 

 

Immediately, Aranea shook her head. But not because she didn't want it. She _did_ because finally, she could know how it felt. Experience it with someone she actually trusted. But, Gladio didn't know she was a virgin. Right now, he was treating her as if she was a seasoned woman, knowing what would come from penetration. The reality was that this was as far as she'd ever gotten with anyone, man or woman.

 

 

Aranea wanted to tell Gladio first, let him know what he was getting into, before that happened. And if that meant she blew her chance for penetrative sex right now on a maybe-next-time that may never happen, then it was just the responsible thing to do in her eyes. Even after placing her anxiety to the side to be this way with Gladio, Aranea couldn't let go of this one final thing.

 

 

The young man's pout almost made her change her mind, but he perked right up when she started to slather her inner thighs close to her cunt with lubricant. She turned around to her hands and knees, pressing her legs tightly together.

"You can fuck my thighs though since you love them so much," she hummed, leaning down into the pillows in full presentation.

 

 

"Damn, Nea. Never done this before…"

 

 

"It'll feel good for me I promise… Just aim up."

 

 

Good thing it actually did, because Aranea had never done this before, only fantasized and researched it. She watched a cock using the space right below a cunt or underneath a sac, and it looked so damn good to her, imagining the friction of the length dragging along her folds and clit, as well as a perineum. Yes-- it was feeling just as good as she hoped once Gladio started.

 

 

His cock rubbed her sensitive folds and rolled over her erect clit. Aranea keened and came after the third thrust, but kept her thighs together as Gladio started to rise to his own crest. He bowed over her, hips working over and over through her thighs, his glans running against her gingerly, and even poking her lower belly. He moaned, one hand pressed beside her head, and the other wrapping around her legs to keep her right there. Aranea never felt so small in her life, and she absolutely loved it.

 

 

"Feels so damn good… Nea, fuck…"

 

 

Her skin prickled and warmed at the familiar scratch of his beard along her shoulder, like the strike of a match against the board, summoning more heat, one more burn out, one more rise to crest. She rose a hand and scratched his jaw, keeping his face right there, close and heavy, and real. This was happening.

 

 

"C'mon… Wanna feel you cum, Gladio…"

 

 

The darkness that had been previously stroked flared back to life, manifesting in a whisper through shaky breath. "Be a good boy and come for me?"

 

 

Gladio choked on his breath as if his end was punched right from him with the whispered plea. Aranea shuddered and felt her cunt pulse, soaking Gladio's cock as he smeared his cum over her skin. The buzz of orgasm rolled over them both, bodies tingling with it, before the warming numbness started to settle into them. Gladio released Aranea's legs to let her lay on her side, then settled right behind her, peppering her shoulder with lazy, open mouth kisses. She groaned happily as his hands dragged across her stomach and her breasts, fondling, but not to initiate more. Just to touch her, to appreciate her more.

 

 

"That was amazing…"

 

 

Aranea didn't have the energy to respond, and opted for action, resting her arm over Gladio's as he held her around the waist. A few seconds later, she was sinking into sleep, Gladio still adorning her body with his lips and teeth.

 

 

\---

 

 

"I don't feel comfortable doing this."

"But you said that you were interested."

"Yeah, but I have a roommate and I don't wanna make her uncomfortable."

"That didn't stop you from fucking your last boyfriend in here."

"Don't keep bringing it up, Aranea. That's how I feel, just… drop it."

"Such bullshit… you told me to come here to spend time together… to  try  things. And now…?"

"I guess it's just too soon, man."

 

\---

 

Aranea awoke that morning to clean thighs, clean breasts, and a young man's loose-jawed face deep in slumber in one of her pillows. She raised her hands to take stock of herself--- bruises on her hips, tenderness to her nipples which made her clench. She smiled and stroked down, feeling her inner thighs where it was definitely irritated and red with beard burn. Her cunt was still pulsing from sensitivity. She groaned as she idly played with herself, eyelids fluttering closed in remembering flashes of last night's romp.

 

 

"H-hnmmm…" Gladio shifted in his sleep, and Aranea removed her hands from herself, only to reach forward to Gladio. Touch his chest, over his tattoo on her shoulder, his neck… those lips again.

 

 

Real. Here. Not a screen. Not text. And no tiptoeing around. No second guesses. Gladio knew what he'd wanted and gone for it. Aranea was impressed with it all, but not just with him.

 

 

"… wow."

 

 

Aranea knew she'd become reserved and careful in concerns to her body and her heart over the years, but she didn’t know just how much until last night, when she felt all that pent up energy spill out of every orgasm, out of each panting cry of Gladio's name. Aranea used to be just like that--- or had wanted to be just like that. To lose herself in someone she liked. To become as wild as she was when she practiced kendo. To exist without a fucking care in the world.

 

 

To exist without worrying if some guy from a wedding party was really into her or if he was just taking her for a ride. Was he chatting her up just to fuck her, or just chatting her up to just be friends? Was he being nice because he cared or being nice because it was his default? Did it matter? She didn't have to worry about that, it seemed, as Gladio had shown time and time again that it wasn't his M.O. to be anything be genuine. Even if it was only shown in his texts and the actions last night, Aranea wasn't sensing anything untrustworthy about him, even now. And she'd like to believe her senses had been filed down to a perfect point over several bullshit relationships.

 

 

Or maybe Gladio's sweet smile and cute posturing, despite his size, and kindness had turned her into putty, like a fucking sucker.

 

 

Aranea sat up, hugging a leg to her chest. She hoped that this was real… she couldn't keep wasting effort into stuff like this only to be hurt.

 

 

She gasped, feeling a tickling scratch along her hip close to the curve of his ass.

 

Gladio chuckled in his chest, still laying there with half his face in the pillow, amber eyes shining with that playfulness despite his sleepiness. "Mornin' gorgeous," he mumbled, his hand resting beside her body where he'd startled her. "Gil for your thoughts?"

 

 

Might as well be honest, as was the base of their relationship. "Just trying to figure out if I'm dreaming or not."

 

 

"Welp, if you've been dreamin', has it been a nice dream?" Gladio smirked, and Aranea shook her head, giving his arm a lazy slap.

 

 

"Wise ass," she giggled, then slid over to him, taking his outstretched arm and raising it to her lips, kissing rough knuckles.  The hair on his arm tickled her chest and tummy. "I mean it… you have to see just how… weird this is, right?"

 

 

"How so?" Gladio rose a brow, turning so his whole face was focused on her, truly listening to what she was about to say.

 

 

"I mean… and look, I don't care, but… life usually doesn't work out so damn well."

 

 

"Didn't take you for such a skeptic, Nea."

 

 

The nickname made her cheeks burn, and she huffed. "I'm more of a realist. Realistically, you'd be with someone your age where you live. And I'd be with someone my age around here. Yet some how, because of some wedding, we started talking, and some how bonded enough that you wanted to have sex with me last night."

 

 

"I actually hadn't thought I'd get that lucky. But you just looked so good, and you're extra hot when you're passionate." Gladio shrugged his shoulders. "Got me going. Wanted you, so… I pressed for it. I was ready for you to tell me to stop because, yeah… this is only the second time we've been together in the same room. And I figured you wanted something more than a quick fuck."

 

 

Aranea kept Gladio's hand held against her, right underneath her chin. She smiled as his fingertips brushed along her jaws and neck.

 

 

"Then you… let me have you. And then I thought maybe all you did want was a quick fuck… but I found that I was okay with that. I'd take what I could get."

 

 

"… you fucking sap."

 

 

"Absolutely." Gladio snickered, and Aranea raised his hand again to kiss the inside of his palm.

 

 

"You've been acting all nonchalant, but…"

 

 

"Yeah. You've been worryin' about whether I really like you or not. And I've kinda been worrying about the same. Why do you text me when you've got such a busy life, and why do you seem to like me, too, when you're… well… you could have anyone else closer to you that can treat you like this, like you deserve. Fuck, if I could have you in bed every day…"

 

 

Aranea scoffed, but found her shoulders releasing the last bit of tension. Gladio was, or had been, just as bewildered by all this as she was. And that made her feel infinitely better. It was as if Gladio understood what should be happening and what was actually happening, and couldn't believe it himself if it weren't for her, naked and peppered with his marks, sitting in front of him in her bed, surrounded by her.

 

 

'I want to be surrounded by you…'

 

 

To make it real for him, too.

 

 

"We owe each other a few gil for those thoughts." Aranea grinned, slowly lowering herself alongside Gladio's body. His arm scooped her in closer, her breasts pressed gingerly into his chest. He lowered his head down into her mused hair, nuzzling just so. "Can I pay you in kisses?"

 

 

"I guess that's alright, if I can do the same," she mewled, tilting her head up and giving a soft lick to his chin, enjoying his facial hair so much.

 

 

He moaned before dipping his head down the rest of the way, murmuring against her lips. "Deal…"

 

 

It was 11am before she thought to leave her bed for a shower, because Gladio's hands playing with her ass and his tongue running along her own was just too good. In between that, his sweet words kept her just as pacified to be in bed before habit got in the way of more sweet attention. She moved to the bathroom, then paused, looking over her shoulder at Gladio, laying there watching her, as if she was the illusion. As if she would disappear once she slipped into the bathroom, never to come out, and he'd wake up back at home, with it all being a dream.

 

 

"… join me?" She whispered, because her heart couldn't take that, and if there was a way to make this more real for the both of them, she'd do it.

 

 

They behaved in the shower, concentrating on the line of each other's bodies, the dips, the scars, the moles, the hair. Wrinkles and stretch marks and piercings. Every moment there solidified this as reality, and Aranea was, slowly, surely, able to let herself believe this could be her new normal.


End file.
